Wait continues for people exposed to hendra virus

Biosecurity Queensland workers inspect a horse on a property in Kerry, south-west of Brisbane.

ABC News

Queensland Health says none of the eight people who have been exposed to the potentially deadly hendra virus are showing any symptoms of the disease.

Two properties at Beaudesert, south of Brisbane, have been quarantined after a horse died from the virus at the weekend.

The people who had contact with the horse have had blood tests, but it will be six weeks until they can be fully cleared.

Acting chief health officer Aaron Groves says there is no need to offer an experimental treatment.

"They all have low to moderate risk and low to moderate exposure," he said.

"It is only if people have high exposure that we consider the use of the monoclonal antibody, [which] is a highly experimental treatment."

Biosecurity Queensland says about 30 horses at the two properties are being monitored.

Chief vet Rick Symons says five of the horses have been tested, while the others will be tested today.

"That will be the first of a round of tests we'll do on those horses, in total we do three rounds of tests to confirm that they are free from hendra virus," he said.

Biosecurity Queensland says there is no need to restrict the movement of horses outside of the two properties involved in the latest hendra virus case.

But Mr Symons says horse owners should keep their animals away from flying foxes which are believed to be linked to the disease.

"We know that if you feed your horse, or keep your horse under a tree that's flowering and fruiting and it's got bats in it you are putting that horse at high risk from hendra virus," he said.

"So we know that already, so you can take steps right now to stop hendra virus."

Local breeder Terry McKinnon says the latest incident could prove costly for the industry.

"Beaudesert houses two or three of the biggest thoroughbred studs in Queensland and a number of smaller studs," he said.

"Now if there is a restriction on horses into and out of that area then the potential cost to both the owners of the stallions and mares is catastrophic."

The latest outbreak of the deadly hendra virus has sparked calls for a vaccine to be mandatory for all horses.

Equine surgeon Nick Kannegieter says it is likely vets will start refusing to treat animals unless they have a vaccination certificate, regardless of whether the animals have the hendra virus or not.

"Nobody can handle a horse that may be sick with any confidence, at this time of the year in particular, because you just don't know if that horse is going to have hendra," he said.

The latest case is believed to be the 15th outbreak since the virus was first identified 16 years ago.

Four out of the seven people who have contracted the virus have died.

A vaccine to fight the disease in horses is on track to be market ready by 2013.

Basil Nolan from Thoroughbred Breeders Queensland says hendra virus is now a fact of life for the industry.

"We've got to admit the fact that we have to live with it. That's why I think it was a great breakthrough a couple of months ago when they decided that they had vaccination against the hendra virus," she said.